Can we talk homemade lotion recipes?

[Belleweather]

Winter is coming on, and my DS and I both have mild congential Ichythiosis -- a fancy way of saying we have horrific alligator like dry skin that gets progressively worse as the winter goes on and can crack and bleed and scale up. It sucks.

I'm looking for some good recipes and hints for making some sort of very thick emollient body butter that we can rub on ourselves this winter. The shea/cocoa butter that I used in pregnancy has been discontinued and I love commercial body butters but I'm sensitive to scent and they make DS itch. I'm a reasonably advanced soapmaker, but I haven't had much success with the lotion stuff I've tried so far, so I need hints.

[abomgardner417]

Subbing...could I also add...something that is cost effective also!

[Nemesis]

Have you tried whipping shea?

I would make a lotion bar type recipe, maybe a bit softer. Anything with water will need a preservative, but beezwax/canuba wax based creme/butters would be safer.

[Nemesis]

I guess what I do is order cocoa butter, shea butter, and beezwax from my supplier (I'm a soapmaker) and then I just guess from there.

Something like:
1 part beezwax
1 part shea
1part cocoa butter
1 part almond oil/olive oil/castor/grapeseed/whatever's laying around oil
and melt and mix.
Cool, test texture and either remelt and mix with more oils or pour into bar shapes, tubes, sticks, or whatever.

At least, that's my informal tutorial.

[FluffiB]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you need water in the lotion. Otherwise your skin will produce less oil because adding oils/fats/waxes will trick your skin into thinking that it has enough oil, so it'll start producing less. Water hydrates your skin too.

I modified one of the recipes from here (I can't seem to find it anymore), and it works great. You can use liquid Germall Plus, which doesn't contain parabens, as a preservative. You just have to adjust the ratio.
http://www.thesage.com/recipes/recip...es&cat=Lotions

LMK if you want my recipe - I haven't used it in the winter yet, but so far it's been working great!

[AprilDaisy]

I haven't had much luck with homemade lotion recipes. I can make a salve. I have the ingredients to make an herbal skin soothing salve, but haven't started it yet because I'm trying to decide if I want to make it a thick salve like my "mosquito away" one or if I want to make it a whipped shea butter one. I'd have to buy the shea butter to try it that way.

I'll be watching this thread and also, anyone have any thoughts on my situation?

[Belleweather]

I'd love some hints on the whipped shea butter thing. I tried to do a whipped body butter but it ended up very heavy and oily when put on. Obviously, I did something wrong... btut it makes a great sort of "soild bath bead" when I carve off a chunk and drop it in my bath water.

[FluffiB]

It was the Mango Body Cream recipe:
http://www.thesage.com/recipes/recip...=Display&id=14

Instead of mango butter, I used a lavender body butter that I bought from Frontier. It dried out my skin because it was all oils/fats, and I didn't want to pitch it, so I incorporated it into this recipe. It works awesome! And I omitted the fragrance oil.

[captivatedlife]

With lotion, I make sure my body is straight from the shower, then (idealy) I slather on aloe vera gel, then take my handy dandy tube lotion and rub that on. I like to keep it natural

Similar recipe as nemesis

[AprilDaisy]

Belleweather I went ahead and bought some Mango butter to try, waiting on it to come in the mail. I found two recipes to try, both are about 1/3 oil to the butter (one is 1/3 and the other is 40/60). One of these recipes says to some a little cornstarch (about two teaspoons a pound) to help with the greasy feel. I'm not sure if I'll add that or not. And I'm looking forward to it turning out well.

[hippiemommaof4]

I think www.brambleberry.com has a kit complete with recipe and it makes quite a few bottles its only like 30 bucks too I believe.

[mistic88]

100% pure organic shea body butter

Ok here is one for you. I have taken out the fragrance for your sensitive skin.



You Will Need:

* Shea Butter
* Fixed/Carrier Oils (Soy, Sweet Almond, Grapeseed, Avocado, etc.)
* Large Pyrex measuring bowl
* Hand Mixer (the kind with beaters)
* Large metal bowl
* Large pot for heating on stove (big enough to fit the pyrex in)
* Vitamin E Oil (optional)
* Corn Starch (optional, but some feel it cuts down on the "greasy" feeling).



Basic recipe for a one pound batch:
10 oz. Shea Butter
6 oz. Fixed Oils (you can use all one, or use 2 oz. each of 3 different oils)
2 tsp. Corn Starch (can add more if desired)




* In a large pyrex measuring bowl, melt your shea butter in a pan of water (double boiler method) on the stove. Once melted, add your oils, fragrance oil and corn starch. Stir very well.

* Remove the pyrex bowl and set it inside of a large metal bowl filled with ice water for a cold water bath. This will help cool the butter faster and is much easier than having to keep putting it in the freezer in between whipping.

* Using a hand mixer, whip the butter continually for several minutes just like you would frosting. It will begin to cool and as you keep mixing, it will start to look like whipped cream. Once the butter has solidified and has the right whipped texture (it will have peaks on top just like cool whip!), spoon it into your jars and you are finished!

scrape sides as you go.

This goes alot faster than you think.
For lighter whip use a auto/ walk away mixer whip for 30-45 min.

[AprilDaisy]

Originally Posted by mistic88

Ok here is one for you. I have taken out the fragrance for your sensitive skin.



You Will Need:

* Shea Butter
* Fixed/Carrier Oils (Soy, Sweet Almond, Grapeseed, Avocado, etc.)
* Large Pyrex measuring bowl
* Hand Mixer (the kind with beaters)
* Large metal bowl
* Large pot for heating on stove (big enough to fit the pyrex in)
* Vitamin E Oil (optional)
* Corn Starch (optional, but some feel it cuts down on the "greasy" feeling).



Basic recipe for a one pound batch:
10 oz. Shea Butter
6 oz. Fixed Oils (you can use all one, or use 2 oz. each of 3 different oils)
2 tsp. Corn Starch (can add more if desired)




* In a large pyrex measuring bowl, melt your shea butter in a pan of water (double boiler method) on the stove. Once melted, add your oils, fragrance oil and corn starch. Stir very well.

* Remove the pyrex bowl and set it inside of a large metal bowl filled with ice water for a cold water bath. This will help cool the butter faster and is much easier than having to keep putting it in the freezer in between whipping.

* Using a hand mixer, whip the butter continually for several minutes just like you would frosting. It will begin to cool and as you keep mixing, it will start to look like whipped cream. Once the butter has solidified and has the right whipped texture (it will have peaks on top just like cool whip!), spoon it into your jars and you are finished!

scrape sides as you go.

This goes alot faster than you think.
For lighter whip use a auto/ walk away mixer whip for 30-45 min.

My question to you is this...does this turn out a creamy consistency like cool whip or harder? Does it stay creamy?

I make salves and I would love for them to be creamy (yet not greasy) instead of the hardness (like solid lotion really) that they turn out.

[3bees~1flower]

if they set up too hard, just increase the liquid oils a little at a time till you get the consistency you want.

[Missa]

I believe Coastal Scents has a tutorial video on how to make a body butter.

[Lotion Secrets]

Sunscreen Recipe

:My Awesome Sunscreen Recipe (smells like candy)

This is the only sunscreen I make and use. I make it all of the time out here in Arizona for my family. My husband works outside and needs it every day. My kids play outside. I have a 2 year old with fair skin.

It has an SPF of approximately 30 - 40. I have never had it tested though. That's based on the spf of the ingredients. It is made with only products that help skin repair from sun damage and block the sun.

It is quick and easy to make. It is perishable. It is strong protection yet gentle to the skin. It won't hurt your babies eyes when they are swimming. It smells really good. Like candy. Enjoy. Sun is good... in moderation

* 10 ounces:

Bring 3 ounces distilled water to a boil. Remove from heat and add a pinch of potassium sorbate and a pinch of cinnamon. Put in an all natural raspberry green tea bag and let it set.

Now bring 3 ounces of coconut oil and 1/8 teaspoon red raspberry seed oil to a light simmer and add 3 tablespoons natural, vegetable emulsifying wax or shredded bees wax until melted. Remove from heat.

Ring out your tea bag and stir 4.5 ounces aloe vera juice or gel into your tea.

Add 2 tablespoons zinc oxide to your aloe tea mixture slowly as it cools while stirring.

Now pour the tea, aloe, zinc mixture into a glass bowl and start blending with your beater on low.

Slowly add oil and wax mixture until blended. Blend on medium high for two minutes.

Let stand for 15 minutes.

Add 1 more tablespoon zinc oxide around the top of the mixture.

Blend again for a minute or so.

Add 3-4 drops Geranium Essential Oil. Blend again. Add 5-10 drops of vanilla essential or fragrance oil. Blend one more time.

Place in small containers and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them, they will last a few weeks out of the refrigerator under normal summer conditions.


Source: http://lotionsecrets.com

[ian'smommaya]

this is a great thread. have you tried a recipe similar to this?
3/4 cup of apricot, almond oil, jojoba oil or olive oil i think would be too much. but for us jojoba worked really well. you can also mix whichever oils youd like to use. as long as the total is 3/4 cup.
1/3 cup of coconut oil or cocoa butter
1/2 oz of grated beeswax, i actually use a vegan alternitive because of all the trouble the bees are having. i figure they could use a break.

Melt these ingredients over low heat. Cool to room temperature. While these ingredients cool, mix together:

2/3 cup of rosewater, orange water, plain distilled water. whatever you have will work.
1/3 cup of aloe vera gel
1-2 drops essential oils your skin loves.
just a couple of drops of vitamin e

the first mixture goes into a blender (that would be the oil stage) let it cool in the blender, then add the second group of ingredients. with the blender on. you are making a mayonaise. an oil in water emulsion. ADD THE WATER/ALOE PART SLOWLY. Whip together until their consistency resembles buttercream frosting. Store in a covered jar.


have fun, and make it with love, thats the most important part.

[3bees~1flower]

Originally Posted by ian'smommaya

this is a great thread. have you tried a recipe similar to this?
3/4 cup of apricot, almond oil, jojoba oil or olive oil i think would be too much. but for us jojoba worked really well. you can also mix whichever oils youd like to use. as long as the total is 3/4 cup.
1/3 cup of coconut oil or cocoa butter
1/2 oz of grated beeswax, i actually use a vegan alternitive because of all the trouble the bees are having. i figure they could use a break.

Melt these ingredients over low heat. Cool to room temperature. While these ingredients cool, mix together:

2/3 cup of rosewater, orange water, plain distilled water. whatever you have will work.
1/3 cup of aloe vera gel
1-2 drops essential oils your skin loves.
just a couple of drops of vitamin e

the first mixture goes into a blender (that would be the oil stage) let it cool in the blender, then add the second group of ingredients. with the blender on. you are making a mayonaise. an oil in water emulsion. ADD THE WATER/ALOE PART SLOWLY. Whip together until their consistency resembles buttercream frosting. Store in a covered jar.


have fun, and make it with love, thats the most important part.

what's holding this together? beeswax isn't an emulsifier? are you storing this in the refrigerator since there is no preservative in it? vitamin e is an antioxident not a preservative.

[ian'smommaya]

emulsifying is done with the blender. like mayo. i store it in the fridge or use it up. i figure im not selling it so i dont need the preservitive in it.

[SuzyLee]

I make an excema cream with water, raw honey, olive oil, and beeswax. I make a pretty small batch (a cup total maybe?) and it doesn't go bad before it is used up.

I don't have set quantities- I sort of just add things until it seems like the right consistancy. The honey seems to help a lot with the excema, but the lotion is pretty sticky.